Breath
by theatregrl02
Summary: Blaine is late. Kurt gets an important message in the middle of a concert. warning: character death


The last thing Blaine remembers is the sound of the rain pounding on the roof and windshield. It was getting dark and Blaine could barely see 10 feet in front of him the rain was so thick. He swore to himself as he checked the clock – 7:58. He was going to be late, Kurt would be mad. Against his better judgment he applied more pressure to the gas pedal, speeding the car, tearing through the darkness and the rain.

Kurt was pacing the lobby of the school, waiting somewhat impatiently and compulsively checking his watch. 7:59, Blaine was going to be late. The last stragglers were meandering into the auditorium as the lights flashed. One last reminder that the show was about to begin. Kurt glanced out the window, looking past the rain streaming down the glass, past the small pools of light emanating from the streetlamps in the parking lot, searching.

"I'm sorry but you're going to have to take your seat," a young boy said to Kurt, looking timid and unsure. Kurt smiled at the boy and nodded, giving one last longing glance out the window before retreating into the auditorium. Blaine had better have a damn good reason for not showing tonight.

At 9:30 when the show breaks for a short intermission Kurt checks his phone, hoping for a message from Blaine, maybe explaining his absence. What he finds instead is a string of missed calls from an unknown number and a voicemail. Puzzled, he punches in the number for his voicemail and hits send, wondering what the hell is going on.

_Mr. Hummel my name is Rebecca and I'm a nurse at Lima Memorial. The reason I'm calling is that your friend Blaine Anderson has been in an accident and he's been asking for you. I…I'm sorry but it's pretty serious, please come in as soon as you get this message._

Kurt's hand lowered, he couldn't process what he was hearing. Blaine had been in an accident? Serious…she said it was serious. When Kurt regained control of himself he shoved his phone in his pocket and ran through the lobby, out the door, and to his car. He made his way as quickly as possible to the hospital and pulled up to the curb. He slammed the car into park and jumped out, running to the information desk and pleading for information.

The nurse who'd called was standing nearby and overheard Kurt's desperate pleas. She brought him back through the ER to a small, sectioned off room. She opened the door and stood back as Kurt pushed in.

Blaine looked pale and there was what looked like a blood stain right under his hairline. All sorts of wires and tubes were connected to different parts of his body and a small monitor beeped out the steady rhythm of his life. There were bandages here and there and Blaine's pale skin was black and blue with ugly bruises. His eyes were closed and he winced with each rise of his chest.

"Blaine," Kurt whispered, unable to move from the door, "shit, Blaine" he muttered, a tear forming in his eye. They'd only known each other a few months but Kurt didn't know what he would do without Blaine in his life. Blaine's eyes fluttered open at the soft utterance and he turned his head in the direction of the door, gasping at the pain the motion caused him.

"Hey," Blaine said, his voice horse and shaky. "Sorry I missed the concert."

"Don't worry about it," Kurt said, wiping away the tears that had managed to escape and crossing the small room in two strides. He took Blaine's hand in his own, terrified of further injuring him, afraid that Blaine might break at even the most gentle of touches.

"I…I need to tell you something," Blaine choked out, eyes closing against the pain.

"Blaine, don't, you'll be fine," Kurt said, trying to contain the fear that was taking over. This was starting to sound an awful lot like a goodbye.

"I love you, Kurt, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." Kurt stopped trying to hold back the tears and leaned forward, pressing a kiss on Blaine's bruised forehead.

"I love you, too," Kurt whispered into Blaine's hair, squeezing his eyes and trying to wake himself from this nightmare.

"Stay with me." Kurt had never seen Blaine this vulnerable and he didn't like it.

"Of course," Kurt managed to get out, pulling away just enough to reach the chair that sat by the bed, dragging it closer so that he could sit with Blaine, be with him as long as Blaine wanted him there. They sat in silence, Kurt holding tight to Blaine's hand, watching the steady rise and fall of Blaine's chest, listening to the rhythmic beeping of the machines connected to his best friend. He sat there for minutes, hours, for what seemed an eternity, until the rise and fall slowed, and the rhythm of the beeping started to skip and become erratic. He stayed after Blaine's chest had stopped moving entirely, after the beep beep beep turned into one long, high-pitched tone that taunted Kurt. He stayed, crying into Blaine and his clasped hands until he was forced away.

The last thing Blaine remembers is the warmth of Kurt's hand on his own, and the gentle sound of his breath rustling in and out of Kurt's chest. He remembers feeling the tears roll down his cheek as the pain slowly slipped away and he stopped feeling altogether. But the very last thing Blaine remember was the soft press of Kurt's lips onto his own, followed by a quiet declaration of love breathed onto his lips.


End file.
